Tenchi Muyo Ryoohki, Episode 23: Responsibility
by Galaxy1001D
Summary: OVA 4 Life at the Masaki shrine is turned inside out when Tenchi and Ryoko consumate their passion. Now Tenchi and the girls must face the challenges of staying together and taking care of Ryoko's baby! Ignores information in the True Tenchi novels.
1. Hormones and Pheromones

In a large, futuristic chamber a huge image of the twelve year old red-haired girl on a giant wall mounted flatscreen gave a diagnosis. "Ryoko will suffer some bloating, a darkening of the nipples and arolas, and other signs of her pseudo-pregnancy. Her body is also sending out pheromones and she might begin lactating…"

"Pheromones?" a slender and curvy blue-eyed bronze skinned blonde interrupted as she held a cooing redheaded baby. "Wait a minute; I've heard that word before. They use pheromones in perfumes don't they?"

"Technically, a pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species," the image of the redhead on the screen lectured. "Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the individual receiving."

"Yes-yes I've heard of pheromones," A purple haired teenage girl with red eyes interrupted. "Just what kind of 'social response' are Ryoko's pheromones going to trigger anyway?"

"Based off the readings I took Ryoko should be sending out a powerful kind of sex pheromone," the redhead's image replied. "Pheromones have evolved in all animal phyla, to signal sex and dominance status, and are responsible for stereotypical social and sexual behavior among members of the same species. In mammals, these chemical signals are believed to be detected primarily by the…"

"Holy Great Mother of Tsunami!" The lavender haired teenager cried, causing a nine year old girl with sky blue hair and a toddler covered with brown fur to jump. "Ryoko's sending out Love Potion Number Nine! Where's Tenchi?"

"He came in with us," a green haired beauty with pointed ears said before she looked around. "No wait. I guess he didn't. Where is he?"

"Tenchi!" The teenager squeaked, her long lavender ponytails swirling behind her. "Where's Tenchi? Oh no! He could be with Ryoko! Doing this! And doing that! It can't be!"

"Ayeka don't worry!" the blonde giggled. "Tenchi isn't doing anything_ like_ that. We know because little Washu here senses everything that Ryoko's feeling and right now she's howling and crying. Isn't she… huh?" The blonde looked down at the baby in her arms to find that baby Washu wasn't howling or crying at all. She was writhing in Mihoshi's arms cooing and giggling instead. The baby's little blue eyes rolled back in her head as she trembled and made joyous little squeaks.

Ayeka's face was a hideous grimace as every last ounce of color drained from her face. "Oh no! We've got to stop them!" she gasped as she ran out of the lab.

A nine year old child with her skyblue hair in ponytails turned to follow when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Sasami, you and Ryo-ohki better stay downstairs here with little Washu," the green haired woman instructed. "Mihoshi come with me. Bring your Galaxy Police blaster and set it on heavy stun."

In the meantime the first princess of Jurai dashed upstairs to the attic loft that was Ryoko's room. When she got there, she froze in the doorway as her face contorted in horror. Hoarse passionate gasps and moans assaulted her ears but that was nothing compared to obscenity that ambushed her eyes! "Oh no!" she screamed. "Tenchi! Ryoko! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

_Tenchi Muyo__, __Tenchi GXP__, __Tenchi Universe_, _Tenchi In Tokyo__ and all related characters and movies are © AIC/Pioneer/Funimation. This story has been written solely for entertainment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily express the opinions of AIC/Pioneer/Funimation, the author, or this website. "Dimension of Love" lyrics by Kuroda Kayoko_

Tenchi is in his room when Ryoko pops out of the wall and hugs him. Japanese kanji appears obscuring your view as a woman's voice sings a peppy tune.

_When the cherry blossom starts to bloom_

_Meet me here in my lonely room_

_We'll find a passion filled fantasy_

_And this time you will stay with me_

Ayeka bursts into the room. Ryoko sticks her tongue out at Ayeka as the princess chases her outside. More kanji appears and disappears.

_All the misery that we knew before_

_Stays away when you are at my door_

_My heart will sing at ev'ry tender touch_

_And, oh, you'll want me twice as much_

Sasami and a toddler Ryo-ohki wave out the kitchen window at Ryoko and Ayeka fighting. Sasami leaves the kitchen and enters the main living room.

_A new dimension of love_

_A bold adventure waiting for you_

_The true dimension of love_

_A soaring flight. A dazzling view_

Mihoshi waves at Sasami from the top of the stairs before tripping and falling. She sits up and winces in pain as she rubs her head.

_We're gonna take it all the way_

_We'll make the dream so totally real_

_See greater wonders by the day_

_Then tell the stars what glorious rapture we feel_

Washu opens the door under the stairs and walks out carrying a strange device. Mihoshi bumps into her and the redhead drops the gadget that shatters at her feet. Washu transforms into a baby and Mihoshi catches her before she falls. Ryo-ohki startles Mihoshi and she tosses baby Washu into the air.

_Soon, with the start of Spring_

_We'll know our hearts are changing_

_Leave the hurt behind_

_I'll be true and kind_

_Be the best you'll ever find_

Noike smiles enigmatically as the wall behind her become the night sky. Baby Washu tumbles through space and falls back down to Earth.

_We don't ever have to cry or fight_

_Something tells me we can make it right_

_Enough of wandering far and wide_

_I just can't forget you though I've tried_

The camera pans down to the outside of Tenchi's house to see Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Ryo-ohki, and Noike catch the baby with a blanket held between them. When the crowd parts, Washu is a twelve-year-old again. Tenchi and the girls wave to you.

_This is destiny so why pretend_

_Close your eyes kiss me once again_

_I'll always be the only one you need_

_So go where your deepest longing leads._

* * *

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 23: Responsibility**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Chapter One: Hormones and Pheromones_

In the mountains of the Okayama district of Japan was a small lake. A wooden bridge crossed this lake from a fence with a back road and led to a three story house with a wooden patio that appeared to be a dock since it came up to the water. On the other side of the house the main driveway (of gravel) led to a stone wall that bordered another wall and a gate where two seven foot tall, three foot tall stone logs flanked the gate and commented upon the weather. On a third side of the house a path meandered into a forest and eventually led to a massive crater bordering a field of carrots. On the fourth side of the house a path of stone steps led up a mountain up to where a Shinto shrine and a smaller one story house were located. A red _torii_ arch was near the bottom of the path.

Crossing under the red _torii _arch was a young man of thirty or so with dark hair and eyeglasses dressed in the white robes of a Shinto priest. He was smiling and singing a song that was written in the 1930's. "I'm in the mood for love," he sang in his deep voice. "Simply because you're near me… Funny but since you're near me, I'm in the mood for love…"

He heard an explosion and a scream as he approached the large, three story house, yet he didn't seem startled in the least. He let himself in and walked into the living room and said: "Hello. How is everyone doing today?"

The bizarre vision that greeted him earned a wry chuckle, but still no distress. Four girls were struggling on the stairs. Although three of them were wearing gas masks, he could still recognize them. The slender teenage girl in the traditional robes had to be his sister, the princess Ayeka. Her long purple ponytails and her aristocratic, piccolo voice gave her away. The tall leggy blonde in the pink blouse and the tanned slacks had to be Mihoshi, the Galaxy Police cop. Even with the gas mask obscuring her face there was no mistaking her bronze skin. The buxom young woman with the pointed ears and the short green hair must be the newcomer Noike. They were struggling with a fourth woman who was hard so see with the rest of them blocking his view. She was struggling like a wildcat and he could make out her long slender naked limbs and caught sight of her wild cyan-white hair. That must be Ryoko, the former space pirate and one of the reasons he had marooned himself on this primitive planet. He sure wished the other girls would get out of the way because it looked like Ryoko was naked.

The girls' screeching drowned out a quiet electronic hum as Ryoko vanished.

"Oh no!" Ayeka squeaked. "She teleported away again!"

"Mihoshi, you were supposed to stun her so she couldn't do that!" Noike scolded.

"I'm sorry, I can't see in this gas mask!" Mihoshi chirped.

"You know we have to wear these or we can't get close enough to Ryoko to pull her off Tenchi!" Noike declared. "The pheromones she's sending out cause hopelessness in women and lust in men!"

"That's right!" Ayeka cried. "I couldn't go near them! I was helpless!"

"Well it's a good thing Tenchi's got so many leg cramps or we'd have to fight him off too," Mihoshi said. "How did he get a cramp in his _buttocks_ anyway?"

"Oh Tenchi, let me rub those for you!" Ryoko's voice called out from upstairs.

"Yes! Touch me Ryoko, I want you so much!" a teenage boy's voice declared.

"He got those butt cramps doing what he's doing right now!" Ayeka shrieked. The three remaining girls turned and rushed upstairs and the sounds of passion and battle could be heard once again. "Banzai!" Ayeka screamed.

"What's going on here?" the Shinto priest asked himself. He turned when he heard a child's voice.

"Grandpa? Is that you?" Cowering in the doorway to the kitchen was a nine year old girl with pink eyes and sky blue hair that was arranged in two floor length ponytails. She was holding a giggling red-haired baby. Why was the nine year old staring at him like that? "I didn't recognize you," she said. "You look like my brother Yosho again. Have you decided to stay this way?"

What was she talking about? He had remained in his 'old man' disguise for over… Yosho blinked as he looked at his hands. They were young and supple without an age spot in sight! It was true? What was he doing revealing his true appearance? He didn't even think of himself as Prince Yosho of the planet Jurai anymore. Now he was Katsuhito Masaki, old man and earthling. Why the devil had he…?

He cleared his throat as he aged thirty years in less than a second. His black hair and ponytail was now iron grey. Wrinkles and laugh lines crossed his craggy face and a handlebar mustache hid his upper lip. "Sorry little Sasami, I'm not myself today," he said in a hoarser, more gravelly voice. "What's going on here? Lady Ryoko seems more out of control than usual."

"They won't tell me," Sasami said. "They said that Ryoko's body is sending out a chemical that makes me too depressed to do anything."

"Meow," a furry toddler wearing a blue skirt emblazoned with a crest of two carrots crossed in an 'X' appeared behind the child and nodded.

"Ah!" Ayeka screamed from upstairs. "Tenchi's got me! He's got me! He's squeezing too tight and he's calling me 'Ryoko!'"

"We can't help you!" Mihoshi's voice squeaked. "It takes two of us to hold Ryoko down and neither one of us have a free hand to stun her!"

"Get him off you!" Noike's voice hollered. "Hit him, Ayeka! Hit him!"

"It's no good!" Ayeka's voice cried as the sound of bone cracking strikes was heard. "Ryoko must've got him used to the rough stuff! He keeps coming back for more!"

"Maybe we better go outside," the (apparently) old man suggested.

"Okay," the child nodded as the furry toddler transformed into an adorable animal that was half kitten, half baby rabbit.

Outside in the fresh air both Yosho (or should I say Katsuhito) and Sasami could think clearly again.

"So how did this start?" he asked as he and the little girl sat down in some deck chairs on the wooden patio. "Did Washu have a baby?"

"No this _is_ Washu," Sasami told him as she held up the gasping baby.

"That's right," the old man said as he took the baby from Sasami. "It completely slipped my mind. Washu tried to turn Ryoko into a child and got zapped by her own youth ray, right?"

"Yes," the little girl nodded as the cat-rabbit thing jumped up into her lap. "And then Ryoko tried to give Washu some of her energy by breastfeeding her."

Katsuhito laughed. "Did it work?"

"No, so Ryoko went into Washu's lab and used the computer program that looks like Washu to do something to her body," Sasami explained. "But something went wrong. Computer-Washu did something to Ryoko's hormones, they said. Now Ryoko is really pretty to boys and really scary to girls and something's happening with Tenchi! It sounds like Tenchi and Ryoko are fighting! It's horrible! All that gasping and moaning, it sounds like they're strangling each other! Ayeka and the others have to wear gasmasks to get close enough to get Ryoko back in the lab. I'm scared! When is Ryoko going to get back to normal?"

"Did you say that Ryoko is somehow really pretty to boys?" her older brother that looked like her grandfather asked.

"Yeah, Noike said that Ryoko is sending out 'fair-o-moans' and they do funny things to people," Sasami said. "She said that they're chemicals that cause people to do things they wouldn't otherwise do."

"Pheromones?" the old man gulped. No wonder he felt like he was young and in love! He thought he was falling in love with Ryoko all over again! No way, not this time! That nonsense ended seven hundred years ago when he fought the space pirate in a duel and sealed her in a cave! No wonder he had looked like Prince Yosho, he felt like Prince Yosho, the young and foolish half-blood prince who ran away from home to free Ryoko from the curse that Kagato had placed upon her. Pheromones? That was all he needed! From the sounds of things it looked like his grandson Tenchi had sealed the deal and didn't need competition from his own grandfather! It was time to get away, and maybe hit the senior center and ask one of those nice ladies if they were doing anything today… What was he thinking? He was thinking like the young and foolish Prince Yosho, wasn't he? No it was time to be the mature and responsible Grandpa Katsuhito right now. He looked down the frightened little girl. "Hey Sasami, let's go to town and get some shopping done, what do you say? It will give the others a chance to calm things down."

"Okay, but I'll need to go back in and get the list," she said as she looked at the house fearfully. The rabbit thing was sitting on her head now and looked just as afraid. It meowed quietly in trepidation at the thought of going back inside.

"Never mind," Katsuhito said as he got up and helped the child to her feet. "We'll just get whatever we can think of. We can always go back if we have to. Let's take the truck and get out of here."

"I'm with you Grandpa," the girl said as he led her away.

In the meantime in the futuristic chamber hidden in subspace two girls entered while carrying a third one. A bathrobe had been placed on Ryoko but her long muscular legs, bare feet, topaz yellow eyes, cyan white hair and exhausted drunken smile were exposed to view.

"Hee-hee-hee Tenchi," Ryoko giggled weakly. "That was great… Just give me a chance to catch my breath sweetie, and then we can do it some more…"

"Shut up you!" Ayeka ordered as she and Mihoshi placed the reeling space pirate on a white table. "Computer, activate the restraints!"

The image of a redheaded twelve year old girl with green eyes appeared on the giant television screen on the wall. "On it," it said as silvery metal bands came out of the table and entwined Ryoko.

Noike entered carrying a dark haired teenage boy over her shoulder. He was also in a bathrobe. She placed him on a second table and closed his robe. "Here's Tenchi. Look at the bruises on his face! My God, Ryoko was an animal!"

Ayeka's face turned crimson. "Uh no, _I_ did that to him," she said quietly.

"Yeah, Ryoko did the scratches on his back and the bruising on his _waist_," Mihoshi added. "She did some bruising on his thighs too. And the scratches on his butt. It was Ayeka who did the bruising on his face."

"Don't remind me," Ayeka shuddered.

"Wow, my first group experience," Mihoshi put her hand on her ample chest and sat in a chair. "I never thought it would be like that."

"It wasn't a group experience," Noike sniffed.

"Well it sure seemed like it!" Mihoshi said. "I got too close when we were trying to pry Tenchi and Ryoko apart and it took you guys almost two minutes to free me! It was so _weird_. I feel dirty and yet for some reason I feel like smoking a cigarette."

"Please, just let me forget," Ayeka moaned weakly as she took off her gasmask and buried her face in her hands.

"Okay girls let's hit the showers," Noike ordered as she clapped her hands. "It's only a matter of time before Ryoko's pheromones soak through our skin and if that happens, the space pirate will be running this place. After we get out of the shower we got to wash Tenchi and Ryoko and then we should fumigate the house."

"No, I don't care anymore," Ayeka muttered as she sat down and hugged her knees. "Ryoko and Tenchi can do what they want. Just let me die."

"Ayeka are you okay?" asked a concerned Mihoshi.

"The pheromones got to her," Noike grunted. "Let's take her to the showers. Don't worry Mihoshi. Lady Ayeka should be docile and easy to move right now. She won't offer any resistance."

"All right," Mihoshi said as she started to pull her gasmask off her face.

"Don't pull off your gasmask you idiot!" Noike shrieked. "What kind of brainless dingleberry are you? Where were you when they passed out the brains Mihoshi?"

"Oops! Sorry Noike!" Mihoshi squeaked as she put her gasmask back on. "Hm," she scratched the side of her head and tapped her finger against the control panel in front of the huge flatscreen. "Now where was I? They were passing out brains, Noike? What for? For anatomy class? I don't remember any brains being passed out. Hm, where was I? Where was I when they were passing out the brains? That's a good one. Golly, I don't know Noike! I think I was with _you_."

_Next: Aftershocks_


	2. Aftershocks

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 23: Responsibility**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Chapter Two: Aftershocks_

In the futuristic chamber that was Washu's interdimensional laboratory, a huge widescreen was placed above the touch sensitive control panel that ran across the silver wall like it was a shelf. The huge image of the head and shoulders of a green eyed twelve year old girl was displayed on it, her red hair displayed in a huge ponytail. Behind her was a moving geometric pattern of glowing neon lines against a black background.

The large chamber had hidden compartments in the floor through with chairs, tables, or even machines could emerge when needed. Each corner of the room had a sliding door. The door left of the widescreen led to the normal world, to the door under the stairs on the ground floor of Tenchi's house to be exact. The door on the right had a wide slit filled with white glass set at eye level. Close inspection of the white glass revealed that it was actually a sign that read 'Decontamination'.

The door opened up and out came Noike, Ayeka, and Mihoshi wearing orange hazmat suits.

"Well we did it," Noike sighed in exhaustion. "We went to decontamination and managed to wash Tenchi and Ryoko down and even managed to clean the hard to reach places!"

"Why were you the one who got to wash Tenchi?" Ayeka demanded.

"You and Mihoshi were too squeamish to wash a boy," Noike shrugged. "Besides, Ryoko is a two-man job."

"Wow, my second group experience," Mihoshi sighed. "Living here is fun!" she squealed happily.

"It wasn't a group experience," Noike rolled her eyes.

Ryoko staggered out behind them, clad in a pink kimono that looked like a bathrobe. "Oh, God what must Tenchi think of me?" she howled. "He must think I'm a monster!"

"He doesn't think you're a monster," Noike assured her as she and the others removed their hazmat suits to reveal their normal clothing underneath.

"He thinks I'm a monster," Ryoko moaned as she sat down in a chair and covered her face with her hands.

"No he doesn't," Noike insisted. "He doesn't think you're a monster."

"Yes he _does_," Ryoko whined. "He thinks I'm a monster!"

"Okay, maybe he _does_ think you're a monster," Noike shrugged as she gave up.

"I knew it!" Ryoko howled before crying into her hands.

"Noike!" Ayeka snapped. "I know we're _all_ upset at that monster woman…"

Ayeka was interrupted by a pitiful wail from Ryoko.

"There-there Ryoko," Mishoshi patted the silver haired woman's shoulder.

"Sorry Ryoko, force of habit," Ayeka apologized dryly before turning back to the emerald haired enchantress. "But Ryoko isn't in control of herself right now. As much as it kills me to say this, _she's_ the victim here."

"The victim of her own folly," Noike shrugged. "If she hadn't asked Virtual Washu to mess with her body this would have never happened."

"She was trying to take care of her baby," Ayeka snarled through clenched teeth, "who just happens to be her biological mother! Why don't you try to show some compassion once in a while will you?"

"She's right!" Mihoshi chimed in. "It's not Ryoko's fault that she's been turned into a loose woman who's a fragile emotional wreck! Just put yourself in Ryoko's shoes! Imagine having to live with the shame knowing that the only way you could be with the boy you love is by overpowering him with a pheromone that turns him into a desperate lecher! Poor Ryoko! If it were me I couldn't live with myself!"

Ryoko howled and sobbed even louder.

"Mihoshi, BE QUIET!" Ayeka screeched. "You aren't helping things!"

Mihoshi put her hand in front of her mouth and gazed at Ayeka with contrite blue eyes. "Oops, I'm sorry."

"Ryoko?" Ayeka walked over to the sobbing space pirate. "It's going to be okay. Nobody blames you for this. You're not yourself."

"Myself _sucks_!" Ryoko sniveled. "When is this going to stop?"

"Your hormonal levels should be back to normal in a few hours, a day or two at the most," the image of the redheaded girl on the screen replied.

"Shut up you!" Ryoko shook her fist at the large screen. "It's your fault I took advantage of Tenchi in the first place!" Ryoko's resolve faltered and she buried her face in her hands again. "I hate myself," she moaned. "I want to die."

"Don't say that," a quiet masculine voice said.

"Tenchi!" Ayeka gasped.

"Tenchi!" Mihoshi smiled. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

Tenchi Masaki was standing in front of the door that led to the decontamination room; a pair of dark pajamas covered his slender but muscular frame. "Ryoko," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"You didn't do anything," Ryoko moaned as she rose shakily to her feet. "I was the one who hurt _you_."

"I'm sorry," he flinched as he closed his eyes to catch a falling tear before wiping his eye with the back of his hand. "I should have controlled myself. I should never have taken advantage of you like that."

"Oh Tenchi," Ryoko cooed as she floated over to him, her feet only an inch above the floor, "It wasn't your fault," she said as she landed next to him and took his hands. "You didn't know what you were doing."

"All I could _think about_ was what I was doing!" Tenchi shuddered in horror. "I can't forgive myself for taking advantage of you in your condition. I should have known better," he apologized as he put his arms around her. "I swear, I promise I'll never touch you again."

"It was me, Tenchi," Ryoko said as she returned his embrace. "It wasn't your fault. I swear I'll never try to take advantage of you anymore. I'll be like a nun."

"I'm sorry," Tenchi said as he nibbled on her neck. "From now on, I'll stay at least twenty feet away from you."

"I'll stay away from you, I promise," Ryoko said as she kissed first his cheeks and then his lips.

"What's going on here?" Ayeka grimaced.

"Oh my gosh, they're starting again!" Mihoshi squeaked.

"Quick girls!" Noike ordered. "Separate them!"

Ayeka and Mihoshi seized Ryoko's arms and Noike put her arms around Tenchi's waist. Once they were pulled apart, both parties stumbled backwards.

"Thanks girls," Ryoko blushed. "I needed that."

"It's no good! I've got to have her!" Tenchi cried as he struggled against Noike. "I can't control myself! Somebody do something!"

"I'll get some chloroform!" Mihoshi declared as she dashed to a large bulky first aid kit that was hung on the wall. "One whiff of this and you should be out like a light!"

"Hurry Mihoshi! I'm getting away!" Tenchi cried.

"Don't worry!" the blonde said as she opened the bottle and soaked a white handkerchief. "I'm almost ready!"

"Quickly!" Tenchi howled as he almost wriggled out of Noike's grasp. "Even with no leverage and multiple muscle cramps I'm still breaking free! Hurry Mihoshi, hurry!"

"Here I come!" Mihoshi announced as she trotted to a position behind Tenchi and Noike.

"Come on, Mihoshi! Hurry!" Tenchi cried. "I'm getting loose! I'm this close to putting Ryoko on page fifteen of the _Kama Sutra_!

"Here I come!" Mihoshi called as she shimmied next to Noike and Tenchi. "I'm coming up on you now Tenchi! I'm going to catch you unawares!"

"Catch me unawares!" he ordered.

"I'm catching you unawares!" Mihoshi repeated. "Here comes the chloroform Tenchi! Take a deep breath!" With that remark, she hugged the boy from behind and covered his face with the white handkerchief. Tenchi broke free from Noike, struggled against Mihoshi's grasp, staggered forward, and fell to the floor.

"Wow, that was close!" the blonde gasped as she rose to her feet and wiped her face with the chloroform stained handkerchief. "Uhh…" she moaned before she rolled her blue eyes and fell on top of the boy.

"What a bonehead," Noike said as she and Ayeka looked down at the two of them.

"Heh-heh," a blushing Ryoko giggled nervously. "Oops? Guess I'm too much woman to handle."

Ayeka made some growling noises that couldn't pass for words.

After Noike and Ayeka carried Tenchi and Mihoshi back to their rooms Ayeka found Ryoko sitting on the pink 'L' shaped couch that dominated the living room of the Masaki house. Noike went back through the door under the stairs to put away the stretcher and get back to work in Washu's lab.

Ayeka looked at Ryoko and blushed. Ryoko looked guiltily back at the princess.

"Hey," the former space pirate muttered.

"Hi," the princess replied carefully as she joined the pirate on the couch. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know," Ryoko admitted as she looked away. "I feel so guilty, yet I feel so relaxed and satisfied at the same time y'know? I feel proud… and ashamed. I'm both happy and sad. I really don't know what to make of what happened."

"Ah-huh," Ayeka mumbled.

"I'm so embarrassed," Ryoko continued as she shook her head. "But when I remember what it was like to be with Tenchi, my whole body tingles!" she whispered as she smiled up at the ceiling wistfully. "You have no idea what it's like to be so sexually frustrated and so close to the boy you love without being able to touch him… without getting to be with him… having to share him with a bunch of other women."

"Oh I think I can imagine it," Ayeka muttered bitterly.

"I mean, Tenchi is the only boy I ever wanted to _be_ with, and I was with him," Ryoko said with wide golden eyes. "How weird is _that_?"

"Unimaginable," Ayeka said through grit teeth.

"I know; you can't imagine what it was like; all those months of rejection, and then suddenly my wildest fantasies fulfilled like that!" Ryoko gasped. "It's all so sudden! I don't know how to handle it!"

"Neither do I," Ayeka grumbled.

"I mean _damn_!" Ryoko drawled the last word. "Nice things don't happen to me! I don't know what to do! I've got Tenchi right where I want him and I just know I'm going to mess it up!"

"_How_?" Ayeka snapped.

"I'll find a way," Ryoko shrugged. "If I want a relationship, I gotta play it cool but knowing me I'll just get clingy and scare him away. I've got to get a handle on myself and figure out what's next."

Ayeka's lovely face contorted into a hideous frown and the sound of scrambled eggs cooking on a hot skillet was clearly audible.

"So what do you think? Should I play hard to get or should I strike while the iron is hot? What do you think? Ayeka?" Ryoko pulled herself out of her musings to notice that Ayeka was fidgeting and her face was much redder than normal. "Oops." Ryoko put her hand over her mouth.

"Oh just go marry Tenchi and go fornicate in public!" Ayeka shrieked as she jumped up from the couch. "See if I care!"

"Ayeka!" Ryoko said as she jumped up and watched the princesses dash for the stairs. "I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking!"

"Go hang yourself!" Ayeka gulped as she lifted the hem of her robe and ran up the stairs. "Do what you want but I don't care anymore!"

Tears blinded Ayeka's eyes when she got to her room. It was happening again! First Yosho, her brother and fiancé, then her parents, and now Tenchi! Nobody wanted her! Nobody loved her! Seven hundred years and a new planet and she was still being rejected by the one she loved!

In the meantime Ryoko's high was wearing off. She had hurt Ayeka, and not on purpose this time. She hated to admit it but Princess Ayeka was her best friend. (Not that Ryoko the space pirate who's been considered dead for the last seven hundred years had a lot of friends in the first place.) It was sobering when she realized that hurting the purple haired prissy pants princess wasn't fun anymore.

The more she thought about it, the more horrified she became. Seven hundred years ago, Ayeka's older half-brother and fiancé Prince Yosho had disappeared on a suicide mission (to stop Ryoko!) and had never come back. Ayeka had run away from home only to discover that her brother had never intended to go back and marry her. Instead, over the centuries he had married various Earth girls until he was finally discovered by a Galaxy Police officer named Airi centuries later.

In the meantime Ayeka's spaceship _Ryu-oh_ wandered the universe searching for her brother with Ayeka and Sasami in cryogenic suspended animation. They were out there for seven centuries! In the meantime Prince Yosho was found! Okay, only the royal family and a few trusted agents in the Galaxy Police knew about it, but why didn't they contact Ayeka's spaceship and tell her? Why didn't they try to find her and take her home come to think of it? Heck, even if the king and his wives didn't care about their daughters, you'd think they'd care about _Ryo-oh _and _Tsunami_, the spaceship that was bonded with little Sasami. Those were two of the most powerful ships in Jurai's fleet! No wonder Ayeka felt so rejected!

Ryoko's brooding was broken when she heard Mihoshi's childlike voice. "What's the matter, Ryoko? You look down."

"Oh! Well it's just that this all so sudden y'know?" an embarrassed Ryoko blushed. "I still don't know how to handle it."

"Well, if it helps try to think of it as something that just happened," said Mihoshi with a reassuring smile. "It's just mad science gone wrong. You're lucky that even worse things didn't happen!"

"Yeah," Ryoko chuckled weakly as she sat on the couch. "I just think that maybe something worse _did_ happen. I _really _hurt Ayeka just now."

"Oh you do that all the time Ryoko," the blonde shrugged.

"No, it's different this time," the pirate said miserably. "What happened between Tenchi and me really wrecked her world. I think I destroyed her!"

"Destroyed her?" Mihoshi sat next to her. "In what way?"

"I think she realized that what happened between Tenchi and me…" Ryoko shook her head as she tried to find the words. "I know it was wrong but it was just so wonderful! It was so exhilarating and satisfying and yet by fulfilling my dream I completely crushed Ayeka's, y'know? I've been competing for Tenchi for so long that I never stopped to think of what would happen if I won. I mean, what are the chances of _me_ winning? Out of all of us, I'm the most messed up of the bunch! And yet, due to a bizarre set of circumstances, somehow, Tenchi picked _me_. How weird is that? Huh? Are you okay, Mihoshi?"

Tears were forming in Mihoshi's eyes, yet the Galaxy Police officer still tried to maintain a brave smile. "I'm… so happy for you, Ryoko!" she sniffed. "After all you've been through it's really great that you finally got to be with the one you love. I'm sorry; I think I've got… something in my eye!" At this Mihoshi got up from the couch and ran sobbing out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tears. Mihoshi's wailing was muffled when Ryoko heard a door open and close.

"Oops," Ryoko blushed and cowered as she sat on the couch. "I did it again."

_Next: Disclaimer_


	3. Disclaimer

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 23: Responsibility**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Chapter Three: Disclaimer_

Facing you is a green eyed twelve year old girl was displayed on it, her red hair displayed in a huge ponytail. Behind her is a moving geometric pattern of glowing neon lines against a black background.

"Hi there Tenchi fans," the girl says in her nasal voice. "Washu here. It has come to my attention that this particular episode of _Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki_ is a bit more risqué than the others…"

"Hold it right there!" Ayeka's voice calls.

Your view fulls back to reveal the futuristic chamber that is Washu's interdimensional laboratory. Washu's image is displayed on the huge widescreen placed over the touch sensitive control panel runnin across the silver wall like a shelf. The huge image of the head and shoulders of Washu Hakubi blinks in surprise before frowning in irritation. "What is it _now_?"

Ayeka and Ryoko enter from stage left. "This has gone on long enough!" Ayeka scolds. "Why are you the only one who gets to talk to the audience? Don't the rest of us get a say?"

"Yeah, you're not even in this one, Washu!" Ryoko whines. "You're just a baby!"

"Look girls, as the 'goddess disguised as a super genius,' the author thought my character would be the best voice to talk to the readers with," Washu's image argues before her voice suddenly goes silent. Washu's image sputters and tries to speak, but it is no use. She can't make a sound.

"What happened?" Ayeka asks.

"I found the 'mute' button," Ryoko smirks as she turns away from the control panel. "Now she can talk all she wants, but we don't have to listen to her."

Ayeka covers her hand with her mouth as she cackles a particularly witchy laugh. Ryoko laughs too but doesn't bother to cover her mouth.

"Oh Ryoko!" Ayeka gushes. "You're so devious! I've got to hand it to you! Well done!"

"You're welcome Princess," Ryoko smirks. "Now it's _our_ turn to be the voice of the author. You go ahead and start. You're the most preachy one out of us anyhow."

"Oh," Ayeka blushes and steals a glance at you. "All right. Ahem," she coughs into her fist. "As those of you who post stories here know, this site has a rating system to determine the appropriate audience for the stories..."

"Let's just give 'em the short version, okay princess?" Ryoko interrupts. "Okay, first we have your 'K' rating, that's for kids Ryo-ohki's age and lower. Then you have your 'K+' rating, that's for kids who look the same age as Sasami does. Then we have the 'T' rating that's for teenagers like Ayeka."

"And then we have 'the M' rating," Ayeka smirks. "That's for adults; people that look as old as Ryoko does. Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"Watch it," Ryoko growls as the strap on the back of her kimono twitchs like a cat's tail. "There's also an 'MA' rating for graphic adult themes… and _violence_," she adds dangerously.

"But fortunately, MA rating isn't allowed on this site!" Ayeka says quickly. The princess covers her mouth with her fist to politely clear to throat. "Ahem. Now to business: This story is rife with 'non-explicit adult themes.' This should push this story squarely into the 'M' category, but the author has stubbornly marked it as 'rated T.'

"He's afraid that it will be missed on a standard K through T scan the little coward," Ryoko snorts disdainfully.

"Well, considering some of the rubbish that's posted in the 'M' section I can hardly blame him," Ayeka snorts. "I never read anything in the 'M' section myself."

"Wimp."

Ayeka chooses to ignore Ryoko's comment. "We'd like to take this opportunity to assure our readers that every effort has been made to clean this story up. No violence or profanity is allowed and any adult situations…"

"Sexual situations," Ryoko interrupts.

"_Adult_ situations happen offstage or are referred to in the vaguest terms we can muster," Ayeka assures you. "As a matter of fact…"

"They're sexual situations," Ryoko insists. "Why can't you just say it? _Sexual_."

Ayeka takes a breath and valiantly tries to continue. "As a matter of fact, behind the scenes the adult situations aren't nearly so naughty…"

"They're sexual situations," Ryoko insists. "S. E. X. Sex. Just say it, why don't 'cha? It's not that hard."

"Will you knock it off?" Ayeka barks. "We're trying to clean up this story so we can keep our 'T' rating! Or did you forget?"

Ryoko blushes and laughs guiltily. "Oh! Yeah. I totally forgot. Sorry." She looks at you. "Okay. Let's start with chapter one with our struggle on the stairs." The sulking image of Washu vanishes to be replaced with a scene of Noike, Ayeka, and Mihoshi struggling on the stairs with Ryoko. "I'm supposed to naked in this scene, but you can't really see me with the other girls in the way. Besides you've seen me naked way back in Episode Four, the one with the hot springs, right? Let's have a picture from of me at the hot springs can we? Thanks."

The image on the screen changes to a still from episode four from OVA1. "Now you can see that although I'm naked, I seem to have a 'Barbie doll anatomy'," Ryoko explains. "That's because Hollywood created these flesh colored decals that fit over my naughty parts. I gotta warn you ladies. If you want to wear those you really gotta bikini wax."

Ayeka shudders.

"A lot of you have been commenting on my flesh colored nipples for a long time," Ryoko says as she points at the breasts of the Ryoko on the wall monitor. "Well let me tell ya: I'm wearing pasties! That's right, flesh colored pasties and makeup to hide the edges. I might be naked but I'm still covered. It's kind of like that body art where naked people paint their bodies so they look like they're wearing spandex, only mine is skin colored. That's how we get past Japan's censorship laws. True story."

"Ew, I think your detailed explanation did more harm than good," Ayeka winces. "I think we've strayed back into 'M' territory."

"Really?" Ryoko blinks. "But I just showed them that it was all Hollywood flimflam. Nothing's really going on."

Ayeka draws out a long sigh. "Well all I can say to our readers is…" Abruptly she falls to her knees and clasps her hands together. "Please don't tell anyone!"

"Yes!" Ryoko cries as she kneels and pleads too. "We'll be good! We'll cut out all the cuss words, I swear! I mean I won't swear! I mean I'll watch myself and stop swearing! Ooh…"

"We'll censor all the naughty parts as best we can!" Ayeka snivels. "Please don't report us!"

The still image from the hot springs episode vanishes from the wall monitor to be replaced by the image of Virtual Washu. "We now return you to the story in progress," the sentient program says.

"Good," Ryoko smiles. "This 'present tense' thing was driving me nuts! How do you narrate action in the present tense anyway?"

* * *

Katsuhito brought Sasami, Washu, and Ryo-ohki home and found Tenchi and Noike waiting for them. Tenchi looked so pale he was positively European. Noike put on a brave face. "Welcome home everyone," she smiled. "Did you go shopping?"

"We were going to, but in the end we went out for ice cream," Tenchi's grandfather admitted. "Here's the baby," he added as he handed baby Washu to Noike. "She's been rather quiet, for a baby I mean."

"Ryoko must be feeling introspective right now," Noike shrugged as she examined the carrot topped baby. "That reminds me, I've been meaning to improve my anti-telepathy helmet so the baby won't be exposed to Ryoko's twisted thoughts anymore."

"Any luck?" the 'old' man asked.

"I ran into a snag when it turned out that little Washu panicked when she was cut off from Ryoko," Noike said. "I think I know how to fix it though."

"Tenchi, are you okay?" Sasami asked the blushing teenager.

"Uh… yeah Sasami," Tenchi stammered. "I just need to talk to Grandpa, that's all."

"Meow?" Even Ryo-ohki could tell that something was wrong."

"How is Ryoko?" Sasami asked him.

"Uh… better," Tenchi grimaced. "The hormone treatment is wearing off. She's going back to normal but she's still really embarrassed. Just try to act like nothing happened, okay?"

"Oh," Sasami blinked in confusion. The child glanced at Ryo-ohki but the furry toddler just shrugged and shared her ignorance. Apparently this was one of those things that would be explained when they grew up. "Oh well. Come on, Ryo-ohki. We better fix them something to eat. They've had a stressful day."

"Mew," the furry toddler nodded before they followed Noike back into the house.

There was an awkward silence between Tenchi and his grandfather. Awkward for Tenchi at least. Katsuhito broke the ice. "So, Tenchi, I understand that you've had a busy day. What's up?"

Tenchi rubbed the back of his neck and giggled nervously. "Uh, yeah. That's an understatement. Let's discuss it at your place, okay?"

"Sure," the older man shrugged as they walked up the path to the red _torii_ arch and the stone steps up the mountain that led to the shrine and Katsuhito's house. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"You're not making this easy, are you Grandpa?" Tenchi groaned.

"Take your time Tenchi," his grandfather said in an amused tone. "Tell me when you're ready. Don't worry. I can keep a secret. Lately you've been complaining that I keep too many secrets, but hey? Why not use that little quirk for your advantage why don't you? I can keep secrets for good as well as evil you know."

"Yeah, you're right," Tenchi chuckled nervously. "Wild horses couldn't drag this out of you. Okay, erm… where do I begin?"

"I understand that Ryoko got some hormone treatments so she could breastfeed baby Washu," Katsuhito prodded, "but there were some unwanted side effects."

"Boy that's an understatement!" Tenchi grimaced. "They tell me that she let out some kind of pheromone that turned her body odor into some kind of love drug! And on top of that her sex drive went through the roof! I never had a chance!"

"You must have made quite a fool out of yourself," Katsuhito chuckled good-naturedly.

"That's one way to put it," Tenchi blushed. "More like a became a raving animal! God, how could I take advantage of Ryoko when she was so vulnerable! She told me to go away, that she didn't want me to see her like that! But I didn't listen!"

"Love makes us stupid," the older man shrugged.

"When we got together, we couldn't stop!" Tenchi shuddered as they climbed the steps to get up the mountain. "Honestly, if Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Noike hadn't pried us apart we'd still be going at it! Now I know how Seina felt…"

"The other girls were there?" Katsuhito giggled. "Dear me! You must be embarrassed!

"Believe me, I'd commit _hari kari_ to get out of this if I could," Tenchi groaned, "but after both Kagato and Z cut me in half I don't think it could work. I'm still alive." Tenchi stopped walking to crouch and whisper. "Say, why didn't the author have me say 'seppuku' anyway? That's how we say it in Japan."

Katsuhito shrugged. "Who knows? This is the same guy who thinks that Tennyo looks like your grandmother and not your mother. But getting back to your problem with Ryoko, did she have a problem with your um… advances?"

Tenchi's face was beet red. "No, once we made contact, she wouldn't let go of me! We couldn't keep our hands off each other!"

"So the feeling was mutual," the 'old' man nodded thoughtfully. "Well no harm done then. It sounds like both of you were under the influence and took advantage of each other. Hopefully that let's things cancel each other out."

"What?" Tenchi snapped. "Is that your answer for everything? Just sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen?"

"It's worked for me for the last seven hundred years," the older man shrugged as he turned to continue up the mountain. "The secret to living among Earthlings for centuries is keeping a low profile and not bringing up anything memorable. Why else do you think I live way out here in the country like this?"

"Don't change the subject," Tenchi insisted. "Come on, Ryoko and I crossed a line here. What do I do?"

"Are you willing to make an honest woman out of her?"

"Come on!" Tenchi whined. "How do I do that? If I promise myself to Ryoko it would just _kill_ the others! How do you think Ayeka would react?"

"You can't keep stringing them along forever," the 'old' man said. "Although personally, I thought that you could maintain this balancing act for a few more years at least."

"Come on!" Tenchi repeated. "You know how fragile Ayeka and Sasami are! They think that nobody loves them! Ayeka still feels rejection because of you and she feels that even her own parents don't want her! How is she going to take it if I marry someone else?"

"Last time father was here I recall that he tried to order Ayeka and Sasami to go back with him to Jurai," Katsuhito said. "That sounds like he wants them to me."

"Ayeka still doesn't know why the royal family never contacted _Ryu-oh_ and told them to come home," Tenchi explained. "She doesn't realize that they couldn't, that Tsunami severed contact to make sure that they'd stay in suspended animation for seven hundred years so they could meet _me_! For all Ayeka and Sasami know, it could just be that they didn't care enough to come look for them!"

"So why don't you explain it to Ayeka then?" the older man asked.

"How can I do that?" Tenchi gestured helplessly. "Tsunami and Sasami are assimilated! For all I know they're practically the same person? How is Ayeka going to react when she finds out that her little sister let her freeze herself for seven hundred years so she could come here and meet _me_? How is she going to react? And how is it going to affect Sasami when Ayeka rejects her? She still doesn't know if she's the real Sasami or Tsunami's creation! Even if Ayeka puts on a brave face and pretends it's okay Sasami will still know that something's changed! How can I drive them apart like that? They depend on each other!"

"Dear me," Katsuhito clucked. "It looks to me like someone is going to have to keep… _secrets_," he said slyly. "Good heavens. My own grandson keeping secrets and having to _lie._ That's too bad. I really looked up to you too, you know. You were my hero."

"Come on, Grandpa, quit clowning around!" Tenchi pleaded as they reached Katsuhito's house.

"Not so easy is it, living with secrets?" the 'old' man asked wryly. "Quite a responsibility you've got now. That's too bad. I wanted to wait until you were a little older before you had to assume the burden. Oh well. Welcome to my world, Tenchi. How does it feel?"

"It sucks Grandpa!" Tenchi cried. "How do you stand it?"

"I've found that it helps to develop a sense of humor," his grandfather said as he tweaked Tenchi's nose. "You'd be amazed what a good laugh can do."

"Grandpa I was hoping for something more helpful," Tenchi sighed.

"Tenchi I can't tell you want to do or make your decisions for you," Katsuhito admitted sadly. "You've got to look into your heart and try to find out what you really want for yourself and the ones you love."

"But Grandpa, what if I have to decide?" Tenchi asked timidly. "How can I make a decision on something so important so quickly. Come on. You gotta give me something here."

"Very well," Katsuhito said gravely as he took Tenchi's hand and put a small flat metal object in in it. "If you find that you're paralyzed with indecision, take _this_."

"What is it, Grandpa?"

"It's a coin," the old man said gruffly while trying to hide a smile. "The next time you need to make a snap decision you can flip it."

_Next: So Happy_


	4. So Happy

**Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-ohki OVA4 **

**Episode 23: Responsibility**

_By Galaxy1001D_

_Chapter Four: So Happy_

After his conversation with his grandfather, Tenchi slunk back into the house like a man who didn't want his wife to know how late he stayed out with the boys. The first person he bumped into was Mihoshi.

"H-hi, Tenchi!" she smiled through her tears. "I-I just want you to know that I think it's great what you did for Ryoko! She's really growing up and becoming a different person! Sh-she's had a h-hard life and she deserves to h-have someone like you in her life! Whatever happens…" Her words were interrupted by a sobbing fit. "I want you to know that I'm SO HAPPY FOR YOU!" Tears streamed out of her face as Mihoshi turned and ran up the stairs.

"Great," Tenchi mumbled as he slumped in defeat. "That's _one _heart broken."

"Tenchi! What's going on?" Sasami's voice asked.

"Doh!" Tenchi nearly jumped out of his skin before he turned and saw the little child. Honestly, those girls were like cats! "Sasami!" he stammered as he tried to return his voice to normal. "What do you mean?"

"What's going on, Tenchi?" Sasami repeated. "Why is everybody upset? What did you and Ryoko do to each other?"

Tenchi grit his teeth as his face turned beet red. "Uh, to be perfectly honest, I was hoping someone would explain it myself," he chuckled nervously.

"Why were you two making such scary noises?" Sasami asked. "Were you hurting each other?"

"Yeah but we didn't care, Oops!" he squeaked as his voice suddenly rose an octave. "We were uh, wrestling. Yeah! That's it! Wrestling! We were just rough housing! You know how Ryoko gets! She picks a fight with anyone, but she doesn't mean it! Really, she doesn't!"

"Why were you naked?" Boy. Talk about the tough questions.

"Er, uh, we were wrestling Greek style! Just like the ancient Greeks!" he explained with an idiotic grin.

"Who are the ancient geeks?" the girl asked.

"Uh-oh, you never heard of the ancient Greeks," Tenchi muttered as he scratched the back of his neck. "Er, um, I was gonna go bathing! Yeah, that's it! And Ryoko wanted to come with me, and I wouldn't let her, and one thing led to another and soon we got in a fight and were wrestling! Yeah! That's it! And we're both really embarrassed 'cause we're not supposed to be fighting and everybody caught us so everybody's mad at us right now! And I'm really sorry for upsetting everyone and I'm ashamed to show my face but it's okay! It'll blow over! Lots of stuff like this happens and it'll probably happen again but it's okay 'cause we're all family and we love each other. And we all know that we would never do anything to hurt one another, not on purpose."

"Really?" the little girl asked hopefully.

"Really," Tenchi nodded as confidence returned to him. "It's going to be awkward for a couple of days but we'll get over it. I'll find a way to make it up to everyone I promise. Everything's going to be fine Sasami. Don't you worry."

"Oh," Sasami nodded in understanding. "Okay. It's not the first time I guess." She turned to go before abruptly turning back to the boy. "Tenchi?" she asked shyly. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Sasami. Ask me anything you want."

The little girl blushed and looked away. Her reddish pink eyes blinked twice before she looked at him bashfully. "If _I_ wanted to take a bath with you, would it be okay? You wouldn't wrestle me would you?"

Tenchi's knees nearly gave out beneath him and the room seemed to be spinning, yet somehow he heard his voice laughing confidently. "Sure Sasami, but you'll have to check with Ayeka first. You know we can't take a bath together without her permission." Where did that come from? Oh well, who cared? Sasami was buying it, and that's all that mattered.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sasami nodded and giggled girlishly before she went back into the kitchen.

Tenchi let out an exhausted sigh before collapsing on the couch. Remembering the way he felt under Ryoko's spell and the image of him and Sasami in the onsen together made his skin crawl. What was he becoming?

"This is how it starts," his grandfather's voice said from right behind him.

"Aaah!" Tenchi screamed as he thrashed on the couch. "Grandpa! You scared me!"

"This is how it starts," his grandfather continued as if his grandson hadn't screamed like a little girl. "One white lie to protect someone you love and pretty soon your entire life becomes on giant whopper that fits you like a second skin. I guess I should give you one of my spare moustache grooming kits. Are you ready to wear your _gi_, or have you not told enough lies yet?"

"Is this because I said that you were one of the biggest liars I know?" Tenchi sighed and hung his head.

"May…be," the old man smiled mischievously.

"I'm sorry I said those things," Tenchi gulped and nodded in surrender. "I guess I didn't see it from your point of view until now."

"If you need help keeping track of your stories, use the Master Key," the old man suggested. "It has a database that you can access telepathically."

"Thanks but uh, why are you here?"

"Don't you have anything you need to say to Miss Ryoko?" the old man asked in a scolding tone. "There's a time for evasion and a time for taking responsibility for your actions. Sorry Tenchi, but I think this is a time for responsibility."

"I know," the boy sighed again. "I just want to figure out what I want to say to her that's all."

"If she thinks you're avoiding her she might take it the wrong way," his grandfather said. When the boy looked at him dubiously he hastily added. "Hey, learn from my mistakes why don't you? I've lived for almost a thousand years and I've made some doozies! I'd rather you didn't have to learn my lessons the hard way."

"Okay Grandpa, you're right," Tenchi nodded as he rose from the couch. "I'll go see if she's ready to talk to me."

"I'll be around if you need me," the 'old' man said as his grandson went up the stairs. "Good luck."

Tenchi couldn't help feeling nervous has he went up the stairs. When Ryoko wanted privacy she usually went up to a high place where she could keep an eye on the rest of them. This way she didn't have to be alone. Heck, usually she slept on one of the rafters overlooking the living room instead of the futon up in her room.

Her room! He was getting aroused at the very thought of going back up there! When he thought of what happened last time he felt like running away. No! He was a man and not a mouse dammit! He had the courage to go back up there. He had to face Ryoko and see how she was doing! After he… did that to her. Odds were she wasn't ready to see him. What was he nervous for? All he was going to do was let her know that he wasn't avoiding her. She'd probably tell him to go away and this time he'd listen. Sure. Piece of cake.

Somehow he reached the door to her room without really remembering how he got there. Steeling his courage, he knocked on the door. "Miss Ryoko? Are you in?"

"Tenchi?" Ryoko's timid voice answered. "Just a minute! Give me a second!"

"Sure take all the time you want." Tenchi put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. Ryoko? Needing a minute? Ryoko never seemed concerned about her appearance or even seemed shy. When he thought about it, the space pirate was actually a stunningly beautiful woman when he realized that she spent almost no time fussing in front of the mirror or even bothering to comb her hair. Was there any other woman in existence who was so uncaring about their appearance yet still so smokin' hot? Or had his recent experience with her colored his perceptions of her?

Ryoko's door slid open a crack and a topaz yellow eye winked at him. The door slid open more to reveal Ryoko the space pirate, the first woman that Tenchi Masaki had ever been with. She was barefoot and her kimono looked more like a bathrobe, hastily tied shut with a sash at the waist. Tenchi was pretty sure she was naked under there, or was that is body reacting to what happened last time she opened the door to him?

She gasped and took a step backwards from him, blushing furiously. Tenchi realized that he was holding his breath and had retreated a few steps backwards as well, his cheeks blushing furiously. Who boy. Awkward. What to say? Think Tenchi think!

"'Sup?" he mumbled.

"Hey," she stammered weakly as she crept forward and slid the door shut behind her. That was good thinking. Tenchi didn't trust what would happen if he ever got her back in her room. "I just put little Washu to bed. We gotta be quiet. So um… what's up?

"How are you?" he asked in a strange voice. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she whined as her posture became as vulnerable and feminine as he had ever seen it. "Honestly I don't know how I am! I can't understand it!"

Why did she have to go all girly now of all times? In the past she had asked Tenchi to make her a woman but he thought it was just an expression! Now that Ryoko was acting all dainty and vulnerable she was irresistible! Uh oh, she's pouring her heart out to you Tenchi. Better start listening and act like you were paying attention the whole time.

"I feel so happy, and so ashamed, and so sad, and so afraid, and so angry," she moaned. "I… I don't know how I am."

"Yeah," he mumbled as he cowered in the hallway with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh Tenchi, I'm sorry," she moaned. "All this time I've been putting you on the spot and now that I finally caught you I feel so ashamed of myself. I feel so guilty. I took advantage of you against your will and now I hate myself…"

"No it wasn't your fault!" Tenchi hissed. "It was me! You weren't yourself Ryoko! You were vulnerable and I took advantage of that! You told me to go away and I didn't listen! I should be arrested for what I did!"

"Oh Tenchi, listen to yourself," Ryoko sighed sadly. "You're such a good person that you blame yourself for something _I_ did. Don't feel that way. My body took control of yours and overrode your will! Kagato overrode _my_ will for years! The worst thing that ever happened to me and now I did it to you! And now you blame yourself for what I made you do! Don't be that way Tenchi. It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, maybe your right," Tenchi grudgingly agreed. "You weren't in control of yourself either. Maybe it wasn't anybody's fault." He looked away and scowled at the wall. "But if that's true, why do I hate myself so much?"

"I know why _I_ hate myself," Ryoko offered.

"Huh?" Tenchi looked back at her. "You do?"

"Yeah, I hate myself because despite what happened…" Suddenly her face lit up with a huge Cheshire Cat grin. "I'm so happy!" she shrieked.

"Huh?" Tenchi stammered. "You are?"

"Yeah! It was _awesome_!" Ryoko crowed. "I've been hungering for your touch even before I met you and I've been so frustrated! I was goin' out of my mind!"

"What? Really?" Tenchi squeaked. "Then why do you hate yourself?"

"Because I took advantage of you and broke Ayeka's heart and probably damaged Mihoshi beyond repair and I don't even want to think of the effect this going to have upon _Sasami!_" the space pirate giggled mischievously. "I totally destroyed the only family I've ever known and yet I still feel great because we didn't hold back Tenchi!_ We didn't hold back! _Moo-hoo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Tenchi gulped and took a step backwards as the space pirate laughed hysterically. He hadn't counted on Ryoko's mood swings!

"I hate myself," she giggled. "I hate myself _so, so_ much!" she chortled. "But hey, that's nothing new right? Gotta take the bad with the good right?"

"Ryoko, are you okay?"

"Not really, that's why I'm letting Zero do the driving right now," she smiled impishly.

"What? Zero?"

"Come on, Tenchi, you remember," Ryoko shrugged. "A few months back Doctor Clay kidnapped me and put a shape-shifting robot named Zero in my place. And poor thing liked being me so much that Washu decided to merge us when it was all over. Zero didn't really have an identity of her own so in essence I've become twice the Ryoko I used to be. Pretty neat huh?"

"Yeah," Tenchi smiled weakly. "Pretty neat. So what's all this stuff about letting Zero do the driving?"

"Well, I spent my whole life being bullied and forced to do unspeakable things by an insane megalomaniac," Ryoko admitted as she leaned against the wall and looked away, "but Zero can read my memories and interpret them more objectively then I do. Maybe she's more logical because it has something to do with being a robot; I don't know. The point is Zero is a lot better at being Ryoko than I am so sometimes I let her take control. I haven't done it very much but when I do everything usually works out fine."

"Ryoko, you can't surrender your identity when things get tough," Tenchi scolded.

"Oh Tenchi, it's not like that," the pirate assured him. "She's still me. She doesn't do anything I wouldn't do. We're basically the same person. It's just that Zero doesn't act like she's damaged beyond repair… unlike me."

"Oh Ryoko," Tenchi moaned in sympathy. "You're not damaged beyond repair."

"I know," she smiled sadly. "Well, _Zero_ knows. _I_ still need convincing, you know what I mean? Still it's nice to have an impartial opinion that can look at everything you've done and still decide it'd rather be you. Really gives you an ego boost if you know what I mean. It's nice to know that after all the things I've done and all the people I've hurt that I'm not really the monster I think I am."

"Ryoko, you're not a monster," Tenchi assured her.

"I know, but the problem is that I just don't know any other way to be," she shrugged. "Kagato's not controlling me anymore and this is my time now and Washu can't stop me from going too far so I've got to police myself now. I'm not very good at it so sometimes I let Zero keep me from doing anything stupid."

"Ryoko, you're not stupid."

"Are you kidding?" she laughed bitterly. "The way I'm feeling right now if Zero wasn't calling the shots I'd pull you into my room and be ripping your clothes off right now! I know I would. I've seen me do it. I'm telling you Tenchi, when it comes to anything important, you can't trust me at all! I'll mess it up without thinking! That's why I'm gonna let Zero do the driving until things calm down."

Tenchi didn't know how to respond to that, and then he smiled in realization. "You know you don't have to be so down on yourself, Ryoko. Ever since you got here, you've changed a lot."

"I sure hope so!"

"And after Washu became a baby, you've changed even more," the boy continued. "Maybe you're not giving yourself enough credit. Maybe you're letting Zero make your decisions for you, but maybe… you're just growing up."

"What?" Ryoko snorted in disbelief. "Really? You're kidding! You're just saying that to make me feel better!"

"No I'm not," he smiled gently. "Don't you see that after Washu made you a single mother, you've really grown up and pitched in around here? And you know what? Maturity looks really good on you."

"R-really?" she blushed and grinned as she bit her thumbnail. "You're not just saying it?"

"No really," he assured her. "You were doing great until that hormone imbalance thing happened. But there's no reason for a little mishap to cause you to lose any ground you know. Honestly, you're doing great. Everybody's bound to make some mistakes. The ones around here are just… more dramatic."

This was going great. The hopeful look on Ryoko's face made Tenchi actually believe what he was saying. If everyone could just stay positive they could get through this.

"Oh Tenchi, I'm so glad you feel that way," Ryoko said before her lip trembled. "That makes me… SO HAPPY!" she gushed before crying into her hands.

"Erg," Tenchi winced.

From out in the hall they could hear baby Washu crying along with Ryoko. The space pirate tried to speak but couldn't pull her hand away from her face long enough so she waved with her free hand. Tenchi could hear her say things like "Washu… …better check on her… …see you later…" and things like that before Ryoko when back into her room.

Tenchi nodded and beat a hasty retreat down the stairs.

_Next: The Lonely Princess_


End file.
